DOHA, Qatar - Caroline Wozniacki wrapped up the year-end No. 1 ranking Thursday after rallying to beat Francesca Schiavone 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 at the WTA Championships.
The 20-year-old from Denmark is the 10th woman to end the season on top and the youngest since Martina Hingis in 1997. She replaced the injured Serena Williams at the top earlier this month and has won more titles (six) and more matches (61) than any other player in 2010.
"It's really great. That is something I've dreamed about since I was a little girl," she said of the No. 1 ranking. "I'm really happy, really proud about what I've achieved."
Wozniacki qualified for the semifinals in second place behind Vera Zvonareva in the Maroon Group. Kim Clijsters and Sam Stosur have qualified from the White Group but will meet each other today to decide who finishes first and plays Wozniacki in the last four.
People are also reading…
Clijsters beat Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 5-7, 6-1 Thursday, while Stosur, having won her opening two matches, lost 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) to Elena Dementieva.
• In Montpellier, France, defending champ Ivan Ljubicic overcame a slow start to beat Taylor Dent 7-5, 6-4 Thursday in the second round of the Open Sud de France. Ljubicic won the title when the tournament was played in Lyon last year and in 2001. He will play Jarkko Nieminen in the quarterfinals.
miscellaneous
USA women rout Haiti in soccer
CANCUN, Mexico - Abby Wambach had the sixth hat trick of her international career to lead the United States over Haiti 5-0 Thursday night in the Americans' opening qualifier for next year's Women's World Cup.
Defender Rachel Buehler put the U.S. ahead in the eighth minute, scoring her first international goal. Wambach scored in the 15th minute, added a goal in first-half injury time and scored her third in the 62nd, raising her career total to 112.
• In Commerce City, Colo., Pablo Mastroeni scored in the 24th minute, and the Colorado Rapids beat the Columbus Crew 1-0 in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals Thursday night.
• In Lausanne, Switzerland, swimming governing body FINA has set up a panel of experts to investigate the death of U.S. swimmer Fran Crippen during an open-water race in the United Arab Emirates. Crippen died while competing in the FINA open-water 10-kilometer World Cup on Saturday. He failed to finish and was found in the water two hours later.
• In Versailles, Ky., Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver has been retired because of a bone bruise. The 3-year-old colt romped under Calvin Borel to win the Run for the Roses. Super Saver won by 2 1/2 lengths to give trainer and UA alum Todd Pletcher his first Derby victory.

